Reflective writing The Early Years Teacher Programme: Reflective Practice Reflective Writing for the PG Certificate

Take five minutes to answer the three following questions: ‘Five-minute sprint’ Take five minutes to answer the three following questions: Who am I? Why am I here? What do I want?

Take another 5 minutes to process and reflect on your answers When I read my answer: I notice… I feel… I’m surprised…

There are many ways to define what reflection is. To reflect means to: evaluate consider carefully weigh up ponder contemplate think purposefully

Describe/explore the experience Stages of reflection Describe/explore the experience Analyse/Interpret the experience Explore alternatives and frame future actions

Bouquet of Flowers – Henri Rousseau 1910 Describe what you see Reflect on and interpret what you see What is the difference between your description and reflection?

Movement in squares – Bridget Riley 1961 Describe what you see Reflect on and interpret what you see What is the difference between your description and reflection?

Reflective practitioner model (Donald Schon) Models of reflection Reflective practitioner model (Donald Schon) There are two types of reflection in this model: Reflection-in-action Reflection-on-action

Six steps to aid reflective practice: Description Feelings Evaluation Kolb and Gibbs Experiential learning cycle (David Kolb) Reflective cycle (Graham Gibbs) Experience Reflection Conceptualisation Experimentation Six steps to aid reflective practice: Description Feelings Evaluation Analysis Conclusion Action plan

Activity - reflecting on your learning preferences Do you prefer to: Learn on your own or with other people? Have lots of guidance or work things out yourself? Take in information by hearing it or by reading it? Develop knowledge one bit at a time or see the whole picture first? 15/06/2018

Creative activities that may help the reflective process Visualise how a difficult experience might have ended differently Develop alternative scenarios. Be a playwright or storyteller. You are in charge of all the characters’. How could they react to, or interact in, a situation you are facing yourself? Draw a comic strip of your own progress through the solving of a problem. The way a comic strip focuses on the extreme and the absurd can help identify core elements of a problem

Reflective writing 15/06/2018

Extract from Arnold, C. (2012:121) Improving your reflective practice through stories of practitioner research ‘I have always found working with children’s families of great interest and I think the study has helped develop both my confidence and my awareness of gaining accurate information about children rather than making assumptions based on my limited view of the child at nursery. In a small study Riddick and Hall (2000) looked at the way both staff and parents described children. They found that staff often made negative assumptions about children and their families, particularly when children were perceived by staff not to be doing well.’ 15/06/2018

Effective reflective writing Uses the first person: ‘I’ Analyses, rather than describes Looks for reasons why something happened Tries to back up a particular point of view with ‘evidence’ Makes reference to academic reading to support personal reflection Avoids slang and informal language, e.g. stuff

Examples of ‘provocative’ questions to guide your reflective writing: What might happen? What is your back-up plan? What do you make of it? What do you really mean by that? What is your assessment of the situation? What other angles can you think of? How do you want it to be? How else could a person handle this? What concerns you the most about it? How is this working? What is your conclusion? What are your next steps?

Keeping a reflective journal Record your thoughts and feelings about your work or learning over a period Record and reflect on any ‘critical incidents’ by focusing on specific events that are out of the ordinary. Use mind maps to reflect more deeply on a topic by organising your thoughts about it in a visual way

You are actively involved in acquiring: Work Based Learning You are actively involved in acquiring: knowledge – new information about your workplace through research skills – the ability to manage yourself both as a learner as well as someone at work Understanding - thinking analytically about policies, processes and procedures in your workplace

Work Based Learning Framework Level Descriptors – Level 7 KU Knowledge and understanding 1. Identification and application of work-based knowledge Systematic and critical understanding of theory at the forefront of professional practice 2. Understanding and application of ethical principles to work/practice Critical understanding of ethical principles - application of professional codes of conduct to the work/practice of self and others CS Cognitive skills 1. Analysis and evaluation of work-based information and concepts Using theory to critically evaluate innovative work/practice 2. Reflection on the wider contexts of work based practice and learning Reflection is an established aspect of own practice leading to significant transformative insights impacting on the practice of self/ others 3. Work-based inquiry, action planning and problem solving Methods (inquiry; action planning; problem solving) are critically evaluated and creatively applied to enhance the practice of self/others

PS. Practical skills 1. Work-based project design and development skills Work-based projects are systematically designed and developed to transform the practice of self and others 2. Professional networking and interpersonal skills Systematic engagement with professional networks applying advanced interpersonal and skills to transform the practice of self and others 3. Communication and information management systematically managing and persuasively communicating Ideas and information for professional practice/academic audiences PES. Personal and enabling skills 1. Self-directed professional development skills Using critical reflection and analysis to plan and project own personal and continuing professional development 2. Responsibility and leadership in work/practice contexts To lead individual/group learning, demonstrate accountability and initiative in professional contexts.